Hatchery Talks

Hatchery Ventilation &

Climate Control
Hatchery Talks

Before we start …

• Polls
• Questions
Hatchery Talks

Contents

• Introduction
• Sufficient air
• Good conditions
• Correct place
Hatchery Talks
Introduction
Introduction

Requirements for incubation

5 fundamental requirements

1. Temperature
2. Humidity
3. Turning
4. Oxygen
5. Hygiene
Introduction

Requirements for incubation

4 linked to Hatchery Ventilation

& Climate Control

1. Temperature
2. Humidity
3. Turning
4. Oxygen
5. Hygiene
Introduction

What is hatchery ventilation?

Bringing sufficient air of good conditions to
the correct place (+ exhaust ‘used’ air)
1. Sufficient air
2. Good conditions
3. Correct place
Introduction

Focus on setters & hatchers

For this Hatchery Talks we neglect other rooms in
the hatchery like egg storage room and chick
despatch room
Hatchery Talks
Sufficient air
Sufficient air

Ventilation for O2-supply

O2= essential
CO2 + H2O =
waste products O2

l/hr per 1000 eggs

from embryo
metabolism
CO2

Exponential
increase
during
incubation
After Romanoff A.L. 1960: The Avian Embryo
Sufficient air

How much air is needed?

Theoretical calculations based on CO2

Starting points:
• RQ-value CO2/O2 0.67
• Heat production 18th day 0.15 W/egg
(Nangsuay et al, 2015)
• Fertility 95%
 Sufficient air

At day 18 for 124.416 eggs (162/16)

Amount of air depends on set point of CO2

Max CO2 CO2 inlet CFM/ setter CFM/section CFM/1000 eggs

(ppm) (ppm)
4000 500 625
368 104
61 5.0
2.9

3000 500 875

515 146
86 7.0
4.1

2500 500 1094

644 182
107 8.8
5.2

2500 700 715 119 5.8

2500 900 805 134 6.5

2000 700 991 165 8.0

 Sufficient air

At day 18 for 124.416 eggs (162/16)

“Clean air helps!”

Max CO2 CO2 inlet CFM/setter CFM/section CFM/1000 eggs

(ppm) (ppm)
4000 500 368 61 2.9

3000 500 515 86 4.1

2500 500 1
1094
644 1
182
107 8
8.8
5.2

2500 700 1215

715 203
119 9.8
5.8

2500 900 1368

805 228
134 11.0
6.5

2000 700 991 165 8.0

Sufficient air

Calculating capacity AHU

• At max. ventilation:
– Setters:120 CFM/section = approx. 6 CFM/1000 eggs
– Hatcher:265 CFM/hatcher = 13 CFM/1000 eggs
• Setting schedule
• Also for other rooms?
• Extra for leakage!
Hatchery Talks
Good conditions
 Good conditions

Climate requirements inlet air

setter and hatcher

Temperature Humidity

RH Dew point

21 – 27 °C < 70 % 11 – 19 °C

69.8 – 80.6 °F 51.8 – 66.2 °F

Good conditions

Climate requirements
inlet air setter and
hatcher

Optimal set points: ! 98 H2O

• Target:
75.2 °F
60 %RH
• Range
73.4 – 78.8 °F 59 H2O
53.6 – 66.2 °F dew point

51.8 °F 66.2 °F 69.8 °F 80.6 °F

Specific
humidity
Good conditions

Why these climate boundaries?

• Too cold: low uniformity of temperature
• Too warm: too much cooling by water
 condensation
• Too dry: cold spot due to active humidifiers
• Too wet: low egg weight loss
 poor chick quality and hatchability
• RH > 70 %: risk for fungal development
(Aspergillus)
Good conditions

Does external climate match?

Good conditions

Aspects of external climate

Mainly temperature and humidity:
• Seasonal changes?
• Day – night rythm?
• Average or extremes?
• Location weather station versus location hatchery?
• Altitude?

Remember … your hatchery is in

operation 24/7 – 365 days!
Good conditions

Air Handling Unit

What does it do:

1. Moves air
2. Filters
3. Heats and/or cools
4. De-humidifies
5. (Humidifies)  final step of AHU?
Good conditions

Climate C:
30 °F / 70 %RH
D
Climate D:
90 °F / 70 %RH

% RH
= curved lines

Specific humidity
= horizontal lines

Temperature
C = vertical lines
Good conditions

Climate C:
30 °F / 70 %RH

Energy-efficient
choice of set
points AHU

Humidifying by
evaporation  cooling

Heating

C
Good conditions

Cooling
Climate D:
90 °F / 70 %RH Dehumidifying
+ cooling D

Energy-efficient
choice of set
points AHU Heating
Good conditions

Climate C:
30 °F / 70 %RH
D
Climate D:
90 °F / 70 %RH

Optimal set
points depends
on season

C
Good conditions

AHU, what does it do?

Heating - cooling
Good conditions

AHU, what does it do?

Cooling - heating = dehumidifying
Good conditions

AHU, what does it do?

Heating – cooling - heating

Heat recovery
can be used for
1st heating step
 Good conditions

Filter and AHU

HEPA filter = High Efficiency Particulate Air filter.

Good conditions

Options for humidification

Hatchery Talks
Correct place
 Correct place

Transport of air

From Air Handling Unit to:

• Inlet setters / hatchers
• Other rooms like chick handling room

And taking used air out of hatchery:

• Yes/no recirculation? (fungus, CO2, temp./%RH)
• Energy in exhaust air?
 Correct place

Pressure differences

Pressure differences needed for:

• Hygiene (“clean to dirty”)
• To facilitate setters and hatchers to ‘breath’ well
Correct place

Pressure differences

Air pressures needs to be well

balanced & controlled!
Correct place

Setter airflow
Correct place

Hatcher airflow
Correct place

Uniformity of air distribution

Clean air transport through piping
Correct place

Uniformity of air distribution

Setters with inlet from corridor
Correct place

Uniformity of air distribution

Setters with ‘inlet box’ (clean air plenum)
Correct place

Uniformity of air distribution

Taking out used air from setter to attic
Correct place

Uniformity of air distribution

Taking out used air from hatcher to fluff tunel
Hatchery Talks
Summary
Summary

What did we discuss?

• Hatchery ventilation is bringing sufficient air of good
conditions to the correct place (+ exhaust ‘used’ air)
• Conditioning air is expensive
Summary

Cost-efficient hatchery ventilation

• Choose optimal set point for AHU
• Do not waste ‘expensive air’:
o Keep doors closed
o Replace bad door seals
o Do not over-ventilate setters and hatchers
Summary

Let’s close the door …

and save money!
Hatchery Talks

Thanks for watching!

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